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Tony Award winning writer and resident playwright Mark Medoff will be returning to the theatrical stage for the first time in 25 years to perform one of his all-time favorite plays, “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett. The play is making a seven day run at the Rio Grande Theatre from Jan 6-11. Theatre goers get to choose their admission price from $2.50 to $25.00 on opening night. The “Pay-As-You-Wish” show is sponsored by the Spence Asset Management Foundation. The play begins at 7:30 p.m.

"Waiting for Godot" consist of two wanderers who wait by a desolate tree waiting for Godot, hoping that he will change their lives for the better. An innocent boy who returns twice with messages from Godot and two eccentric travelers who arrive on the scene, one man staggering at the end of the other’s rope.

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The New York Times describes Waiting for Godot, “as a play that has no simple meaning, a mystery wrapped in an enigma.” Other critics describe it as a “quintessentially absurdist play.” The play was voted the most significant English language play of the 20th century by a British Royal National Theatre poll.  

Joining Mr. Medoff on stage is Dick Rundell, David Edwards, Brandon Brown and 12 year-old Grace Marks, Medoff's granddaughter. The play is directed by Jessica Medoff Bunchmann, Medoff's youngest daughter and Grace's aunt. Ms. Bunchmann is an opera, musical theater and cabaret performer who has taken up directing in the past few years. She most recently directed the premier of her father's play, "Parsifal Worthy," in New Orleans. Early in his career, Medoff portrayed "Pozzo" one of the characters in "Waiting for Godot" at the Las Cruces Community Theatre and also directed the play in a Fountain Theatre production. He admires the play and is looking forward to its return on stage at the Rio Grande Theatre.  

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Mark Medoff has lived in Las Cruces throughout most of his illustrious career and is best known for his stage play, "Children of a Lesser God." It received three Tony Awards, including "Best Play" in 1980 and it was also awarded the London’s Society of West End Theatre Award for Best Play. The play was performed on Broadway for 887 consecutive performances in the early 80’s. An adaptation of the play was co-written by Medoff and produced as movie in 1986. The screen play received five Academy Award nominations, as well as nominations for the Writers Guild of America Best Adapted Screenplay. Throughout his career Mr. Medoff has received numerous prestigious awards for his acting and writing. In addition, he received a Cable ACE Award for his HBO Premiere movie, “Apology.” He is also the recipient of the Obie, Outer Critics Circle, and John Gassmer Playwriting Awards for “When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder?”

Tickets for the Jan. 7-11 shows are $15 for balcony seats and $20 for main floor seats. Student tickets (with university ID) are available for $5 with seating in the balcony. Theatre doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 p.m. The Sunday show on the 11th begins at 2 p.m.  Tickets are available at the Rio Grande Theatre located at 211 N. Main Street or online at holdmyticket.com.

For more information visit riograndetheatre.com or call them at (575) 523-6403.